AsAmNews: Prof. Hahm Discusses Realities of the Rising Popularity of Korean Culture
The new Museum of Fine Art Boston cultural exhibition, “Hallyu: The Korean Wave,” focuses on the explosive popularity of Korean pop culture over the last twenty years and includes a public program series featuring Prof. Hyeouk Chris Hahm from BU School of Social Work. AsAmNews, a news site dedicated to Asian Americans & Pacific Islanders, reported on the upcoming panel entitled “The City Talks: Korean Standards and Stigmas” that Hahm will moderate, covering the harmful mental health side effects Koreans and Korean Americans face. Hahm explains that while Korea’s influence on pop culture is an exciting and positive phenomenon, addressing societal issues like the country’s fierce competition and strict beauty standards can help the public understand other trends, such as the high rate of depression among Koreans.
Excerpt from “Hallyu! The Korean Wave Brings the Global Sensation to Boston” by Rachel Lu, originally posted in AsAmNews:
One of the public programs offered as part of City Talks is ‘Korean Standards and Stigmas’ on May 30, which will be moderated by Hyeouk ‘Chris’ Hahm, professor and associate dean for research at Boston University School of Social Work. Hahm told AsAmNews that she plans for the conversation to revolve around the reality behind the exponential development and transformation that propelled Hallyu to the global stage.
‘So we have achieved this, which is an incredible miracle. And we have become a leader in culture, movies, fashion, and everything. But at the same time, Korea suffered the consequences. That is mental health,’ Hahm said.
According to Hahm, 38% of Koreans are estimated to be suffering from depression. Hahm partly attributes this to South Korea’s intensely competitive culture and unrealistic beauty standards. These societal issues should be discussed alongside the celebration of popular culture.
Similarly, the spotlight should also be given to the effects of anti-Asian hate in the U.S., despite the historic successes of award-winning movies like Parasite and Minari. After Parasite won Best Picture at the Oscars in 2020, the rise in Covid related hate crimes against Asian Americans soon followed.”